Granting access rights to a sub-set of the data set in a user account

ABSTRACT

A hearing aid (10, 11) has a memory (123) for storing personal settings for alleviating a hearing loss for the hearing aid user. A user account is created from an Internet enabled computer device (17) on a remote server (25), and the user account includes the personal settings for alleviating a hearing loss for the hearing aid user and personal information. A wireless connection is set up a between the hearing aid (10, 11) and the personal communication device (13), and the personal communication device (13) is identified as a gateway to the Internet for said hearing aid. The user grants access rights to a third party to modify data in a sub-set of the user account stored on the server (25).

The present invention relates to hearing aids. The invention, moreparticularly, relates to a method for handling user data for a hearingaid user by creating a user account on a remote server accessible overthe Internet, and for granting access rights to a third party forreading and modifying parts of user account. Also, the invention relatesto a data system for handling user data.

Hearing aid manufacturing companies design, develop and manufacturehearing instruments for distribution by independent, credentialed,licensed hearing health care professionals providing service and supportfor hearing impaired customers in compliance with all applicable state,federal and professional regulations and law.

The hearing health care professionals are an integral part of theappropriate selection of, delivery of, and satisfaction with the hearingaid to the hearing impaired customer because they provide benefits astechnical understanding of the hearing aid, individualized fittingsolutions based upon the need of the individual customer and supportedby professional fitting tools provided by the hearing aid manufacturingcompany and knowledge of hearing loss and hearing rehabilitation.

The sales channels bringing the hearing aids from the manufacturingcompanies to the hearing impaired customer are undergoing significantstructural changes these years. We still see many specialty stores wherethe owner is a hearing health care professional selling and fittinghearing aids. Factory owned stores do also play a significant role, andhere the hearing health care professionals play a role as employees.Supermarkets, membership warehouse clubs and discount stores havestarted to play a significant role in delivering hearing aids—a hearinghealth care professional here acts as a consultant being paid on hourlybasis or receiving a fixed fee from the store. One challenge in thesystem is that the user buys the hearing aids, but has difficulties inchanging service provider as the data belongs to the hearing health careprofessional or to the stores from which the hearing aid has beenbought.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a data system for handlinguser data for a hearing aid user, by means of which the user may switchservice provider when desired. This purpose is according to theinvention achieved by a method for handling user data for a hearing aiduser and at least one hearing aid. The at least one hearing aid has amemory for storing personal settings for alleviating a hearing loss forthe hearing aid user. The method includes creating a user account on aremote server accessible over the Internet from an Internet enabledcomputer device. The user account includes the personal settings foralleviating a hearing loss for the hearing aid user. The methodfurthermore includes entering personal information into the user accountand storing the entered personal information on the remote server,setting up a wireless connection between a hearing aid and the personalcommunication device, identifying in the user account the personalcommunication device as a gateway to the Internet for said hearing aid,and granting rights to a third party to modify data in a sub-set of theuser account stored on the server.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a datasystem for handling user data for a hearing aid user and at least onehearing aid. The at least one hearing aid has a memory for storingpersonal settings for alleviating a hearing loss for the hearing aiduser. The data system comprises a remote server accessible over theInternet, an Internet enabled computer device for accessing the remoteserver, and a personal communication device being Internet enabled andbeing adapted for running application software. The personalcommunication device and the at least one hearing aid are provided withrespective transceivers for establishing a wireless connection underguidance of said application software, whereby the personalcommunication device becomes a gateway for the hearing aid to theInternet. A client program on the Internet enabled computer device isadapted to allow the user to create a user account on the remote serveraccessible over the Internet, and including the personal settings foralleviating a hearing loss for the hearing aid user, to enter personalinformation into the user account and store the entered personalinformation on the remote server, and to enter gateway information tothe user account. The client program on the Internet enabled computerdevice is adapted to allow the user to grant rights to a third party tomodify data in a sub-set of the user account stored on the server.

The invention will be described in further detail with reference topreferred aspects and the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates schematically a data management system according to afirst embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates schematically a data management system according to asecond embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates schematically the data structure of a user accounthandled in the data management system according to an embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a flow chart for the pairing of a hearing aid and thepersonal communication device according to one aspect of the invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a flow chart for the creation of a user accountaccording to one aspect of the invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart for the hearing aid during a dataexchange session with a remote server according to an embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 7 illustrates the message structure for a secure session accordingto the invention; and

FIG. 8 illustrates a flow chart for the management of a user accountaccording to one aspect of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference is made to FIG. 1, which schematically illustratesschematically a data management system according to a first embodimentof the invention. Prior to use, the settings of the hearing aid are setand adjusted by a hearing care professional according to a prescription.The prescription is provided by an audiologist and is based on a hearingtest, resulting in a so-called audiogram, of the performance of thehearing-impaired user's unaided hearing. The prescription is developedto reach a setting where the hearing aid will alleviate a hearing lossby amplifying sound at frequencies in those parts of the audiblefrequency range where the user suffers a hearing deficit.

Hearing aids are often provided to a hearing impaired used as a set ofbinaural hearing aids 10, 11. The hearing aid 10, 11 comprises an inputtransducer 115 or speaker for picking up the acoustic sound andconverting it into electric signals. The electric signals from the inputtransducer 115 are amplified in a pre-amp amplifier 116 and led to anAnalog-to-Digital converter (ADC) 117 for converting the analog inputsignal into a digital signal. The digital output signal from theAnalog-to-Digital converter 117 is fed to a digital filter 118 adaptedfor amplifying and conditioning of the processed signal according to apredetermined setting set by an audiologist. The output from the digitalfilter 118 is fed to a Digital-to-Analog converter (DAC) 119 forconverting the digital processed signal into an analog output signal forreproduction by an output transducer 120 or speaker. PreferablyDelta-Sigma-conversion is applied in the Digital-to-Audio Conversion sothe electrical output signal is formed as a one-bit digital data streamfed directly to the output transducer 120, i.e. the output converter isdriven as a class D amplifier.

The digital filter 118 may advantageously include a filter banksplitting up the signal into a plurality of filter bands (often in therange of 3-15 bands or channels) being processed individually andsubsequently combined into the output from the digital filter 118. Aprocessor 121 monitors and controls the operation of the digital filter118 according to the settings for alleviating a hearing loss byamplifying sound at frequencies in those parts of the audible frequencyrange where the user suffers a hearing deficit. These settings areprovided by the audiologist, and the settings are stored as a data file110 in a part of a hearing aid memory 123. In an embodiment, the hearingaid memory 123 is an EPROM or Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory,which is a non-volatile memory i.e. the type of memory chip that retainsits data when its power supply is switched off. It may be achieved thatonly authorized personnel may edit settings for alleviating a hearingloss by applying an appropriate data access control.

The hearing aid memory 123 furthermore includes memory space 111 forstoring hearing aid programs or activation codes and parameters foractivating one or more hearing aid programs provided as embeddedsoftware in the hearing aid 10, 11. As these parameters relate to up anddown grading of hearing aid features, it is evident that the access toediting these parameters shall be limited by applying an appropriatedata access control.

The hearing aid memory 123 includes memory space 112 for storing ProductID, which may include manufacturer name, product type and serial number,and furthermore identification of the current firmware version. It isevident that an unauthorized person must not be able to change themanufacturer name, product type and serial number. This may be obtainedby coding these data into the chip. Alternatively it may be achievedthat only authorized personnel may edit Product ID data by applying anappropriate data access control.

Finally the hearing aid memory 123 includes memory space 113 for storinglog data for the hearing aid operation and acoustical environment, andmemory space 114 for storing a security element as root certificates asexplained later. The hearing aid 10, 11 generates these log dataautomatically, and the data may be read out during a consultancy sessionby an audiologist when adjusting the settings for alleviating a hearingloss, or by uploading to a central server when the manufacturer of thehearing aid 10, 11 prepares for a firmware update.

The processor 121 is connected to and controls the operation of atransceiver 122. The transceiver 122 connects the hearing aid 10, 11 toa personal communication device 13 via a wireless connection 14, such asa per se known wireless communication standard like Bluetooth™ LowEnergy or another appropriate protocol. The benefit of using Bluetooth™Low Energy is that many different personal communication devices 13 likesmartphones, hearing aid streamers, tablet PC's and laptops alreadysupport the standards, whereby the hearing aid 10, 11 may be paired withone of these personal communication devices 13 and use the personalcommunication device 13 as a gateway to the Internet. On the same timethe power consumption for a transceiver 122 based upon Bluetooth™ LowEnergy will be acceptable for a hearing aid design.

The personal communication device 13 according to the invention isInternet enabled which means that the personal communication device 13may access the Internet 16 via a connection 15. The connection 15 ispreferably a wired (e.g. LAN), a wireless Internet connection (e.g. WLANsuch as 802.11_(a, b or g)), or a cellular data connection (e.g. WCDMAor LTE). Advantageously, the personal communication device 13 has theability to download and launch application software from a remote serveron the internet, e. g. an app store 28. Furthermore, the personalcommunication device 13 will be able to access via the Internet 16 amaster server 25 having user data storage 26 for maintaining and storinghearing aid user accounts.

The term “app” is short for application software which is a set of oneor more programs designed to carry out operations for a specificapplication. Application software cannot run on itself but is dependenton system software to execute.

FIG. 2 shows two hearing aids 10 and 11, and these are preferablyprovided as a set of binaural hearing aids having and inter-earcommunication channel 12 advantageously based on a proprietarycommunication protocol or the Bluetooth™ Low Energy protocol which ispreferred for the communication between two hearing aids 10 and 11 andthe personal communication device 13—here shown as a smartphone. Byusing a proprietary communication protocol for the inter-earcommunication channel 12, it is possible to optimize the inter-earcommunication channel 12 with regard to power consumption, while byusing the Bluetooth™ Low Energy protocol for the inter-ear communicationchannel 12, it is possible to reduce the number of radios required inthe hearing aid. The two hearing aids 10 and 11 are illustrated asBehind-The-Ear hearing aids having customized ear plugs. However theinvention is applicable for any type of hearing aid being able tocommunicate with the personal communication device 13 via the wirelessconnection 14.

Furthermore, the hearing aid user may from a computer 17 via anappropriate Internet connection access the master server 25 having userdata storage 26 for maintaining and storing hearing aid user accounts.Accessing user data stored on the master server 25 requires that thehearing aid user has the required access rights.

Entities distributing the hearing aids from the manufacturing companiesto the hearing impaired customer may as assisting service providersdealing with e.g. end-user subscriptions from a computer 21 via anappropriate Internet connection access the master server 25 having userdata storage 26 for maintaining and storing hearing aid user accounts—orat least relevant parts of the hearing aid user accounts. The computer21 is connected a data storage 19 containing subscription data for aplurality of hearing impaired customers being customers at the entity.The entity may be a specialty store, a factory owned store, asupermarket, a membership warehouse club, a discount store or the like.Accessing user data stored on the master server 25 requires that thehearing aid user has the required access rights.

Finally, authorized hearing aid professionals or audiologists may from acomputer 22 via an appropriate Internet connection access the masterserver 25 having user data storage 26 for maintaining and storinghearing aid user accounts. Accessing user data stored on the masterserver 25 requires that the hearing aid user has the required accessrights. The authorized hearing aid professionals have audiological testand fitting equipment 23 for measuring and estimating the hearing lossof the customer, and subsequently fitting a set of hearing aids 10, 11compensating for the unique hearing loss of the customer. As the fittingprocess shall fulfil the customer's needs, the process will normallytake place as an interactive and iterative process. Therefor theaudiological test and fitting equipment 23 is adapted for wirelesscommunication directly with hearing aids 10, 11 via a data link 24. Thedata link 24 may be provided by means of a proprietary communicationprotocol used for the inter-ear communication channel 12, or by means ofthe Bluetooth™ standard, e.g. according to Bluetooth™ Low Energyprotocol which is preferred for the communication between two hearingaids 10 and 11 and the personal communication device 13.

Hereby the authorized hearing aid professional will be able to write newdata into and edit existing data in the data file 110 defining thehearing compensation profile in the hearing aid memory 123.

The authorized hearing aid professional will be able to edit existingdata in the memory space 111 for storing status about activated hearingaid programs. The distributing entities will have read access to thecontent present in the data file 110 and the settings in the memoryspace 111 as these data are relevant for the feature set of the hearingaids and thereby for the sales price or the subscription fee the userhas to pay for the using the hearing aid 10, 11 having the feature setspecified by the authorized hearing aid professional. As it will beexplained later, these data stored in the hearing aid 10, 11 will becomeuploaded to the master server where the hearing aid manufacturer caninspect the data and automatically charge the distributing entitiesresponsible for a specific hearing aid having a feature set specified bythe authorized hearing aid professional.

According to the invention, the user pairs—in step 40 of FIG. 4—a set ofhearing aids 10, 11 to a personal communication device 13, and thepairing procedure according to Bluetooth™ Low Energy protocol is wellknown. However, the user may advantageously choose to use specialhearing aid software running on the personal communication device 13adapted to control the pairing—as shown in step 41—and this software mayeither be embedded in the personal communication device 13 from thefactory or be downloaded to the personal communication device 13 fromthe app store 28. The software app includes information about how toaccess (including the internet address) the master server 25. Uponpairing in step 42 of the set of hearing aids 10, 11 and the personalcommunication device 13, the set of hearing aids 10, 11 identifiesthemselves based upon information present in the product ID file 112 inthe hearing aid memory. The software app running on the personalcommunication device 13 uploads in step 43 these data to the masterserver 25 based upon access information contained in the software app.Hereby the master server 25 becomes notified about that paring has takenplace between the set of hearing aids 10, 11 and the personalcommunication device 13, and the set of hearing aids 10, 11 isidentified by manufacturer, hearing aid model, serial number, softwareversion, and the personal communication device 13 is identified (phonenumber and/or IP address) as gateway for accessing the set of hearingaids 10, 11.

In one embodiment, the pairing is done by bringing the personalcommunication device 13 via the launched application software into asearching mode, in which the personal communication device searches forhearing aids 10, 11 in pairing mode. Preferably a hearing aid 10, 11 isbrought into pairing mode for a period of time by switching the hearingaid on. The hearing aid 10, 11 may preferably remain between 30 secondsand 2 minutes. The personal communication device 13 may list the hearingaids 10, 11 identified in pairing mode. Then the pairing preferablytakes place by requesting the hearing aid 10, 11 to communicate apairing code in an auditory communication, e.g. as an audio message, tothe hearing aid user, and when the user has successfully entered thepairing code via a graphical user interface on the personalcommunication device 13, the pairing mode has been successfullycompleted. If the set of hearing aids 10, 11 includes a second one, theparing step is repeated for this one, too. Preferably, the hearing aids10, 11 provide an audio indication to the user when the hearing aidenters the pairing mode, and preferably also when the pairing mode hasbeen successfully completed.

Upon setting up a wireless connection between at least one hearing aid10, 11 and the personal communication device 13 under guidance ofapplication software, the master server 25 identifies in the useraccount the personal communication device 13 as a gateway for thehearing aid 10, 11 to the Internet 15. So far only the set of hearingaids 10, 11 and the personal communication device 13 are identified inan anonymous user account.

Referring to FIG. 5, it shall be explained how the user completes theaccount set up. Starting at step 44, the user creates a user account onthe remote server 25 accessible over the Internet from the Internetenabled computer device 17, e.g. a laptop, tablet PC or a smartphone.The user enters a URL provided on the hearing aid sales package into anappropriate browser window in order to create the account at the masterservice provider. In the web page opened, the user may create a newaccount in step 45 and enter appropriate personal information in step46. The kind of personal information included in the user account willlater on be explained with reference to FIG. 3. As a part of the accountset up, the user is in step 47 invited to set credentials for theaccount, and these credentials may in one embodiment include a usernameand a password—both specified by the user. Now the account has beencreated, the user is allowed to log off, and later on log on again forcomplementing the account with additional data. During the accountsetup, the user is invited to identify a gateway to his hearing aids 10,11. The personal communication device 13 serves this purpose, and theuser may identify the personal communication device 13 by means of e.g.its phone number or IP-address.

Once the personal communication device 13 has been identified as agateway, the remote server 25 contacts the personal communication device13 in order to verify its role as a gateway. This contact may preferablybe done via the software app running on the personal communicationdevice 13, and when the user has verified the gateway data, the personalcommunication device 13 starts to load data about the hearing aids 10,11, such as serial number, software version and information aboutspecial hardware. Normally the hearing aids 10, 11 have been fitted inorder to alleviate the hearing loss of the hearing aid user, and as apart of the account set up, the personal communication device 13 readsdata from the hearing aids 10, 11, and transfers data to the remoteserver 25 for storing settings for alleviating the hearing loss inconjunction with the user account comprising of a data set 30 consistingof data fields 31-39.

Hereafter the remote server 25, when the hearing aids 10, 11 are online,will via the personal communication device 13 compare the settings foralleviating the hearing loss stored in the hearing aids 10, 11 and inthe user data storage 26, and keep these settings synchronized. Herebythese data will be kept updated no matter whether the hearing aids 10,11 have been updated in an off-line fitting process, or whether a newfine-tuning has been performed orchestrated by the remote server 25.

The user is allowed to log off, and later on log on again for editingexisting data in the account or for adding further data. With referenceto FIG. 8, it will be explained how the user may manage his account instep 50. This requires that the user logs on to his account in step 51,and the web page will for this purpose have a tab named “delegateaccess” to the user account comprising a data set 30 consisting of datafields 31-39. In step 52, accessing certain parts of the user accountwill require authorization—for example when modifying the settings foralleviating the hearing loss, and the user will in step 53 only beallowed to select from a predefined list of authorized entities such asauthorized audiologists or hearing aid professionals permitted to fithearing aids. Other parts of the user account will require somecommercial relationship with the hearing aid manufacturer and masterservice provider managing the remote server 25, and here the assistingservice provider may handle the sale or a subscription or serviceagreement to the end-user. Also here, the assisting service provider maybe selected from a predefined list of assisting service providers instep 53. The assisting service provider sells or rents a set ofcustomized hearing aids 10, 11 to the hearing aid user, and as a part ofthe customization, the assisting service provider may equip the hearingwith a certain number of audio processing bands and with a certainnumber of hearing aid programs. These features may be activated via theinternet enabled computer 21 from which the assisting service providermay update his own subscription and accounting system and the useraccount in the remote server 25. Once the user account in the remoteserver 25 has been updated, the master service 25 sends the necessaryactivation codes to the hearing aids 10, 11 via the gateway provided bythe personal communication device 13.

Preferably, the delegated access rights to the user account are onlygranted for a certain period of time, therefore the user sets from hisInternet enabled computer device 17 the period of time in step 54according to the needs. If the user signs up for a hearing aidsubscription at a membership warehouse club, the minimum commitmentperiod may be six or twelve months, and therefore it makes sense toautomatically define the duration of the access rights to the sub-set ofthe dataset in a user account to be in the same range. Prior to theexpiration of the access right period, the user is preferably notifiedabout the expiration, and he may extend the access right with a similarperiod of time or a user defined period. The renewal of the delegatedaccess rights takes place from the web page having the “delegate access”tab. For the fitting purpose, the audiologist may just need access tothe account during the fitting session, and therefore the access rightsmay preferably be limited to just one day or a few days, oralternatively to just one completed session. However the user may easilyextend these access rights if required by logging in to his account.

Once the user in step 55 has granted access rights to a sub-set of thepersonal information present in the user account via his Internetenabled computer device 17 to the third party entity, the master server25 records the period of time for which the temporary access rights willbe granted, creates in step 55 a set of credentials associated with theuser account to which the temporary access rights will be granted, andnotifies in step 56 the third party entity about credentials foraccessing the sub-set of personal information present in the useraccount. The third party entity receiving the temporary access rightsmay be the assisting service provider operating from the internetenabled computer 21 or the authorized hearing aidprofessional/audiologist operating from the internet enabled computer22.

In case the access rights relate to a fitting session with access needsfor just limited time, the notification may take place as a set ofe-mails with a first one linking to the user account in question and asecond one containing a password for accessing the user account. A logonname may be available for the fitter in advance, included in the seconde-mail or in an additional, separate e-mail.

In case the access rights are granted to an assisting service provider,e.g. a membership warehouse club, providing service to multiple hearingusers via sale or subscriptions, the access rights will be granted forlong term and the assisting service provider may at the same time haveaccess to a plurality of user accounts, where assisting serviceproviders existing login credentials provide access to the pool ofsub-sets of the personal information present in the plurality of useraccounts. Here the notification may take place as a notification in thebrowser window upon logging into the master service provider home page,and notification provides an update about new accounts that have becomeaccessible.

The master server 25 has as mentioned above user data storage 26 formaintaining and storing hearing aid user accounts, and the plurality ofhearing aid user accounts defines an end-user database consisting ofdata developed by individual end-users. The master service provider hasthe Data Definition Right and is responsible for the data definition,which includes defining, modifying, and removing data structures fromthe database. As shown in FIG. 3, there is for each user account theredefined a data set 30 consisting of data fields 31-39. The hearing aiduser is as end-user permitted to update (has the Data Update Right) thedata set 30, which means that he can insert, modify, and delete data.The hearing aid user is furthermore permitted to delegate the DataUpdate Right for his specific user account to third parties likeauthorized hearing aid professionals and assisting service providers,and to specify that the delegated Data Update Right relates to one ormore data fields 31-39 of the data set 30, and that the delegated DataUpdate Right is for a specified period of time.

For each hearing aid user account there will exist some Data RetrievalRights, which are the rights to obtain information either for end-userqueries and reports or for adjusting the setting of the hearing aids.The will be some overlapping between the Data Update Right and the DataRetrieval Rights. Finally, the master service provider will according toone embodiment hold the Administration Rights for the database. TheAdministration Rights allows the master service provider to register andmonitor user activities. The master service provider enforces datasecurity—including grant of credentials. The master service providermaintains the lists of authorized hearing aid professionals andassisting service providers, by ensuring that the parties appearingthere have been authorized. The master service provider monitors theperformance of the database—including concurrency control, maintainsdata integrity, and recovers information if the system fails.

The data set 30 in a user account includes a personal information datafield 31, which typically is the first data field filled out by the userwhen creating an account. The personal information includes name,address and additional contact data like phone number and e-mailaddress. A delivery address data field 32 defines the delivery addressfor hardware to be delivered to the hearing aid user. This hardware mayinclude hearing aids returned from service, replacement hearing aids,batteries, wax guards, hearing aid drying boxes and other items orderedfrom the master service provider or the assisting service provider. Thedelivery address is specified by the owner of the account and may beidentical to the home address identified in the personal informationdata field 31 or may identify a preferred supermarket in case theaccount is linked to a membership in a warehouse club. The owner of theaccount will have Data Update Rights to the personal information datafield 31 and the delivery address data field 32, while the authorizedhearing aid professionals and assisting service providers will have theData Retrieval Rights to these data fields of the data set 30.

In a social security data field 33, the user may enter his birthdayinformation and social security number, which may be used by the socialauthorities in cases these are committed to pay a part of the salesprize or subscription fees. In an accounting data field 34, the masterservice provider, the assisting service provider, and the authorizedhearing aid professional may enter respective service agreements and theuser may enter billing details, such as that an invoice is preferred orthat an amount to be drawn from a specified credit card is preferred.The service agreements may refer to a specified fitting session, ahearing test, purchase of a specified set of hearing aids, subscriptionto a specified set of hearing aids, upgrade of an existing set ofhearing aids batteries, or replacement parts. The user has the right toapprove the service agreements and enter billing details, while theservice providers may enter service agreement details as price andconditions supported by one or more documents and use entered billingdetails for their own accounting. The accounting data field 34 will onlycontain one service agreement, and if several service agreements areinitiated, supplementing accounting data fields 34 will be created. Onlyparties to a service agreement do have Data Retrieval Rights.

For some of the service agreements, the database keeps the historicaldata so the hearing aid user may buy e.g. batteries from his smart phoneby a few clicks on an app, as an existing accounting data field 34specifies a service level agreement for batteries, the amount ofbatteries, the delivery address and the payment details.

When the authorized hearing aid professional or audiologist tests thehearing of a client, he obtains the results in an audiogram which is agraph showing the hearing loss measured in decibels for standardizedfrequencies in Hertz. The threshold of hearing is plotted relative to astandardized curve that represents “normal” hearing, in dB (HL).According to the invention the authorized hearing aid professional maystore the hearing loss characterization in a dedicated Hearing LossCharacterization data field 35, whereby the authorized hearing aidprofessional or another authorized hearing aid professional on a laterpoint of time may assess changes in the hearing capability of theclient.

When the authorized hearing aid professional has determined the hearingloss of his client and an appropriate hearing aid has been chosen, theauthorized hearing aid professional sets the hearing aid parameter in aninteractive dialogue with the client by using the audiological test andfitting equipment 23 communicating directly with hearing aids 10, 11 viathe wireless data link 24. When the fitting has been completed, thesettings are stored in the data file 110 defining the hearingcompensation profile in the hearing aid memory 123 in each of thehearing aids 10, 11. Once the settings have been updated in the hearingaid 10, 11, and the hearing aid 10, 11 identifies a gateway to theInternet 15 via the personal communication device 13, it seeks toestablish a secure connection to the master server 25 for transferringthese data to the data field 36 for the settings of the hearingcompensation profile for each of the hearing aids 10, 11. The hearingaids are programmed to automatically place a copy of settings of thehearing compensation profile for each of the hearing aids 10, 11 in anassociated user account when the settings have been updated off-line(not using the personal communication device 13 as gateway) by means offitting equipment 23.

Preferably, the data field 36, in which the hearing compensationprofiles are stored, includes historical data for the hearingcompensation profile settings. Hereby the user may request a previoussetting if he for some reasons find the current setting problematic in aspecific sound environment or situation. The request of re-importing aprevious setting may be initiated from an app on the personalcommunication device 13 acting as gateway.

Also the master server 25 will be able to set up a secure connection tothe hearing aids 10, 11 for loading settings of the hearing compensationprofile into one or more of the hearing aids 10, 11. The trigger fordoing such a push of settings may as mentioned be that the user hasrequested a previously used setting, or that the user has received oneor more replacement hearing aids directly from factory, and that thesenew hearing aids once these are connected to the gateway shall beequipped with appropriate programs and equipped with the appropriatehearing compensation profile settings. This will make a replacementoperation easier for the client as the new hearing aids 10, 11 can bedelivered by a postal or shipping company and the preparation andpersonalization of the hearing aids 10, 11 takes place online using apersonal communication device 13 as gateway.

The authorized hearing aid professional has via his login Data UpdateRights to the Hearing Loos Characterization data field 35 and thehearing compensation profile data field 36, while the owner of theaccount has Data Retrieval Rights to the Hearing Loss Characterizationdata field 35.

Preferably, the hearing aids 10, 11 are programmed to automaticallyupload identification details for the hearing aid to the master server25 when the hearing aids 10, 11 are linked to a user account by means ofthe gateway formed by the personal communication device 13. Theseproduct ID data are read from the product ID file 112 in the hearing aidmemory 123 and uploaded via the gateway and the Internet to the masterserver 25 and in data field 37 of the user account.

Only the hearing aids 10, 11 do have Data Update Rights to the productID data field 37 while all having access rights to the account do haveData Retrieval Rights to the product ID data field 37.

For each user account there is provided a data field 38 containingsecurity elements as credentials for access to one or more data fieldsin the hearing aid user account and secure keys for establishing asecure connection between the master server 25 and the hearing aids 10,11. The users having access to one or more data fields of the hearingaid user account may access and edit their own user name and passwordsonly in the data field 38—Data Update Rights and Data RetrievalRights—but not expand scope and duration of the temporary access rights.The master service provider holds the Administration Rights for thedatabase and will be responsible for that the secure keys in the datafield 38 together with the root certificate stored as the securityelement in the memory space 114 of the hearing aid memory 110 mayestablish a secure connection between the master server 25 and thehearing aids 10, 11.

The hearing aids 10, 11 are adapted to ensure that data only may bewritten in the hearing compensation memory space 110 and program memoryspace 111 when permitted by the master server 25. This takes place in asecure session as shown in FIG. 7 where encrypted data are exchanged,and where the data transfer is completed when the master servertransmits a write permission command 260. Hereafter, the hearing aids10, 11 may store appropriate data in the hearing compensation memoryspace 110 and program memory space 111.

FIG. 6 shows a flowchart for the hearing aid during a data exchangesession with a remote server according to the invention. In step 280,the hearing aid 10, 11 is in normal mode which means that the hearingaids reproduce amplified audio picked up from the surroundings or streamaudio from an external audio source.

The message structure for a secure session according to the invention isshown in FIG. 7. The hearing aids 10, 11 are here identified as theclient 210, 211, and the master server 25 as the server 225. As markedwith broken line the client 210, 211 is allowed to ping (informalrequest) 230 the server 225 and ask it to set up a secure connection.

However, the method is based on that the server 225 sends a “SessionInitiation Request” 231 to the client 210, 211. In step 281, the hearingaid 10, 11 evaluates whether such a “Session Initiation Request” hasbeen received. If this is not the case the hearing aid 10, 11 willreassume the normal hearing aid mode in step 280. If a “SessionInitiation Request” is deemed to have been received, the hearing aiduser is notified on the personal communication device 13 and is allowedto postpone the data exchange, and the hearing aid 10, 11 will reassumethe normal hearing aid mode in step 280. Also the battery status for thehearing aid 10, 11 is checked, and if neither the hearing aid 10, 11 northe hearing aid user disapproves the “Session Initiation Request” instep 282, the client 210, 211 sends an “Acknowledgement” message 232 tothe server 225.

The purpose of setting up a secure session is to ensure that the hearingaids 10, 11 are protected against unauthorized modifications and fraud.There exist many authentication methods that may be applied when settingup a secure session preferably employing encryption. Such authenticationmethods include a handshake procedure and subsequent exchange ofcryptographic parameters. In one embodiment the server 225 authenticatesthe client 210, 211 by means of validating its IP-address which isdefined by the IP address of the gateway (personal communication device13). The server 225 initiates the secure session, and the session is setup based upon the root certificate store as the memory part 114 in thehearing aids 10, 11.

Initially, the client 210, 211 and the server 225 have to agree on aprotocol version, select cryptographic algorithms, and optionallyauthenticate each other—which is done by the “Secure Session Set Up”message 240 and the “Verification” message 241. By using private-keyencryption techniques, the client 210, 211 and the server 225 generate ashared secret that can be exchanged secretly over the Internet.

In step 283, the client 210, 211 and the server 225 exchange encrypteddata 250—“Encrypted Data Exchange” marked by the arrows in both endsindicating that the traffic may go both ways. If the hearing aid 10, 11has received data for storing, it waits for a “Write Permission” message255 from the server 225. The “Write Permission” message 255 allows thehearing aid 10, 11 to store data in a specified part of the memory 123.In step 285, the hearing aid 10, 11 writes the received data intoappropriate parts of the hearing compensation memory space 110 andprogram memory space 111. Hereafter the hearing aid 10, 11 willterminate the secure session in step 286 and reassume the normal hearingaid mode in step 280.

If a “Write Permission” message 255 is deemed not to have been receivedin step 284, the hearing aid 10, 11 will shortly after terminate thesecure session in step 286 and reassume the normal hearing aid mode instep 280 without storing the received data.

The secure session is released by the server 225 sending a “SessionRelease Command” message 260, and the client confirms the release bysending a “Session Completion” message 261 in step 286.

According to one embodiment, the hearing aid manufacturer intends toensure that he is the only one to communicate with the hearing aid forinstalling software updates and provide settings for alleviating thehearing loss for the hearing aid user. The hearing aid manufacturer willalso ensure that he is the only one who can activate and deactivatefeatures and programs in the hearing aids 10, 11 as this affects theprice of the hearing aid 10, 11. Therefor the security element 114 is adigital certificate stored in the hearing aid 10, 11 during themanufacturing.

Digital certificates are verified using a chain of trust. The trustanchor for the Digital Certificate is the Root Certificate Authority. Atrust anchor is an authoritative entity represented by a public key andassociated data. The public key is used to verify digital signatures,and the associated data is used to constrain the types of information oractions for which the trust anchor is authoritative.

The most common type of digital certificates is based on the ITU-T X.509standard including a digital signature from a certificate authority. TheRoot Certificate Authority is, according to this embodiment, the hearingaid manufacturer. Hereby the hearing aid manufacturer will be able toissue an ad hoc update for Digital Certificates for a specific set ofhearing aids 10, 11, granting certain rights to adjust the settings inthe hearing aids 10, 11 during a fitting session.

A Digital Certificate identifies the trust level of an entity seeking tochange software or setting in a device. The master server 25 will beassociated with a so-called “Trusted” root certificate allowing themaster server 25 to establish a chain of trust that is used to verifyother Digital Certificates signed by the trusted roots, for example toestablish a secure connection to the hearing aids 10, 11. Typicallythese certificates will be of temporary character, and may be valid fora short period of time—days or weeks—and granted to a specifiedaudiologist or fitter.

The Digital Certificate includes a certificate ID as certificateversion, serial number and identification of the signature algorithmused, for example “SHA1 with RSA encryption” and issuer of thecertificate. The trust level is indicated as well as a validity period,which includes a start and an end date. A public key for the encryptionis identified together with a Certificate Signature Algorithm and aCertificate Signature.

The master server 25 may write data in 110 (adjust hearing compensationsettings), 111 (activate programs and features) and 114 (update rootcertificates).

When the user identifies a fitter or an audiologist and updates his useraccount as mentioned above, the master server 25 updates the hearing aidmemory 123 accordingly by loading a new Digital Certificate, or updatesan existing Digital Certificate in the memory part 114 for the secureelements. The rights to enter or edit data in the hearing aid 10, 11 isby means of the new or updated root certificate temporarily delegated tothe fitter or the audiologist. The fitter or audiologist is notifiedabout the delegation of rights, when the master server 25 sends anotification of the access rights to the computer 22. As a part of thefitting software, the computer 22 has security elements allowing it toset up an off-line connection to the hearing aids 10, 11, and to includea “Write Permission” message 255 allowing the hearing aid 10, 11 toexecute a write command. Then the hearing aid 10, 11 writes the receiveddata into appropriate parts of the hearing compensation memory space 110and program memory space 111 as explained above.

In the embodiment described above the secure session is set up basedupon a Root Certificate between the master server 25 and the each of thehearing aids 10, 11. This requires that the hearing aids 10, 11 are ableto handle the data encryptions themselves.

In an alternative embodiment, the personal communication device 13—e.g.a smartphone—acting as a gateway, has some inherent security toolsavailable, which may assist the master server 25 and the hearing aid 10,11. Preferably, the secure session is set up by means of a MobileVirtual Private Network (VPN) whereby the authentication occurs duringthe establishing of a communication tunnel (tunnel establishment), andbefore routing data through the VPN gateway provided by the personalcommunication device 13.

During the secure session (tunnel mode), data is exchanged between themaster server 25 and the hearing aid 10, 11 by arranging the data intoan IP packet being encrypted and/or authenticated. The encrypted and/orauthenticated IP packet is then encapsulated into a new IP packet with anew IP header, and transmitted between the master server 25 and the VPNgateway provided by the personal communication device 13. Thecommunication between the personal communication device 13 and thehearing aid 10, 11 will be less critical as the personal communicationdevice 13 and the hearing aid 10, 11 will be adjacent to each other.Furthermore, inadvertent access to the personal communication device 13may be prohibited by an appropriate use of passwords or biometric accesscontrol.

Tunnel mode is used to create virtual private networks for remote useraccess (host-to-network communications). The VPN tunnel communicationdeals with the data security over the Internet. The security elements114 in the hearing aid 10, 11 ensure furthermore that data received isstored only when a write command is received authenticating the originof the data as being from the master server 25 or an entity (thecomputer 22) having temporary writing rights.

Other protocols providing a similar security include IPsec (InternetProtocol Security (IPsec) which is a protocol suite for securingInternet Protocol (IP) communications by authenticating and encryptingeach IP packet of a communication session and SSL (Secure Sockets Layer)which is a protocol for encrypting information over the Internet.

In order to prevent fraud by means of unauthorized fitting equipment 23,the fitting session may according to the invention be based upon adelegation of the right to communicate with a hearing aid 10, 11according to the invention. When the owner of the user accountidentifies an authorized hearing aid professional or audiologist to fita set of hearing aids, the master server sends a notification of theaccess rights to the computer 22, and in addition to this, the masterserver 25 sends security elements to the computer 22. These securityelements allow the computer to set up an off-line connection to thehearing aids 10, 11, and to include a “Write Permission” message 255allowing the hearing aid 10, 11 to execute a write command. Then thehearing aid 10, 11 writes the received data into appropriate parts ofthe hearing compensation memory space 110 and program memory space 111as explained above.

When a hearing aid user with a severe hearing loss at higher frequenciesgets a new hearing aid, he will often be offered a transposer orcompression feature. The loss of audibility of high frequency soundsoften compromises speech understanding and the appreciation of music andnature's sounds. The assignee offers a program, named AudibilityExtender™, moving inaudible sounds, such as high-frequency speechsounds, and environmental sounds like birdsong, a doorbell, music, etc.to a frequency region where they are audible. Based on the measuredhearing loss, the audiologist is able to set the correct setting for theprogram but such a change will often be overwhelming for the hearing aiduser, and therefore an adaptation period is required. The audiologistdecides in an acclimatization strategy how the final setting for e.g.the Audibility Extender shall be reached by stepwise adjustments overseveral weeks. These steps may be programmed by the audiologist to takeplace automatically. Often a consultation at the audiologist will berequired. The audiologist may still define the steps of theacclimatization strategy, but according to the invention, the changingfrom one step to the next (or the previous) is controlled by the hearingaid user—either from by accessing the user account from the Internetenabled computer device 17 or from the personal communication device 13.

Hearing aid users do often suffer of tinnitus, and various tools havebeen developed to help users relax and manage their tinnitus, e.g. WidexZen™. The user account according to the invention may also be used forintroducing new features available for the hearing aids. The hearing aiduser may via the user account be offered a free trial period (e.g. onemonth) where the Zen™ program embedded in the hearing aid 10, 11 isactivated. When the free trial period has expired, the program willbecome automatically disabled. However the user may enable the programagain by paying an activation fee or a periodical subscription fee viahis account.

The Internet enabled computer device according to the invention shall beable to access the master server 25 via an appropriate Internetconnection. The computer 17 fulfilling this purpose may be a laptop or atablet computer connected via WLAN to the Internet. In a specificembodiment, the user may access the remote server by means of hissmartphone for creating the user account, and as the smart phone alsoserves as gateway, the very same smartphone may operate as personalcommunication device 13 during pairing of the short range communication,and as computer 17 during user account establishment and management.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method for handling user data for ahearing aid user and at least one hearing aid, said at least one hearingaid having a memory for storing personal settings for alleviating ahearing loss for the hearing aid user, and including: creating aplurality of user accounts on a remote server accessible over theInternet from an Internet enabled computer device, each said useraccount including the personal settings for alleviating a hearing lossfor a respective different hearing aid user; entering personalinformation into the user accounts and storing the entered personalinformation on the remote server; setting up a wireless connectionbetween a hearing aid and a personal communication device; identifyingin the respective user account the personal communication device as agateway to the Internet for said hearing aid; connecting a set ofhearing aids to the server via respective gateways, and granting to athird party, other than one of said users, rights to modify a subset ofthe data stored in a subset of the user accounts on the server, wherebythe third party becomes permitted, via remote connection, to adjust thepersonal settings for alleviating the hearing loss for a hearing aiduser in said subset of user accounts.
 2. The method according to claim1, wherein said data in the sub-set of the user account stored on theserver and modified by the third party having modification rights isloaded into said hearing aid memory by using the personal communicationdevice as a gateway.
 3. The method according to claim 1, furtherincluding synchronization of the personal settings for alleviating thehearing loss stored in the hearing aid to modified personal settings foralleviating a hearing loss stored on the server.
 4. The method accordingto claim 1, wherein the modification of personal settings foralleviating a hearing loss includes activation of customized optionalfeatures of the hearing aid.
 5. The method according to claim 4, whereinthe modification of personal settings for alleviating a hearing lossincludes replacing the current setting alleviating a hearing loss with aprevious setting for alleviating a hearing loss.
 6. The method accordingto claim 4, wherein the modification of personal settings foralleviating a hearing loss includes managing an acclimatization strategyof an optional feature of the hearing aid.
 7. The method according toclaim 4, wherein the modification of personal settings for alleviating ahearing loss includes granting access to an optional feature of thehearing aid for a trial period.
 8. The method according to claim 1,including measuring of the hearing loss of the hearing aid user by ahearing care professional, and storing data defining an audiogram in theuser account according to granted modification rights.
 9. The methodaccording to claim 1, including measuring of the hearing loss of thehearing aid user by a hearing care professional, and storing anamplification characteristic for alleviating a hearing loss for thehearing aid user in the user account on the remote server.
 10. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein the granting of rights to a thirdparty to modify data in a sub-set of the user account stored on theserver is limited to a predefined period.
 11. A data system for handlinguser data for a hearing aid user and at least one hearing said, said atleast one hearing aid having a memory for storing personal settings foralleviating a hearing loss for the hearing aid user, and comprising: aremote server accessible over the Internet; an Internet enabled computerdevice for accessing the remote server; a personal communication devicebeing Internet enabled and being adapted for running applicationsoftware; wherein the personal communication device and the at least onehearing aid are provided with respective transceivers for establishing awireless connection under guidance of said application software, wherebythe personal communication device becomes a gateway for the hearing aidto the Internet; wherein a client program on the Internet enabledcomputer device is adapted to allow the user: to create a user accounton the remote server accessible over the Internet, and including thepersonal settings for alleviating a hearing loss for the hearing aiduser, to enter personal information into the user account and store theentered personal information on the remote server, and to enter gatewayinformation to the user account; wherein the client program on theInternet enabled computer device is adapted to allow the user to grantrights to a third party to modify data in a sub-set of the user accountstored on the server, whereby the third party becomes permitted toadjust for said at least one hearing aid the personal settings foralleviating the hearing loss for the hearing aid user; and wherein theremote server is configured for the creation of different user accountsfor each of multiple different users, each user account includingpersonal settings for alleviating the hearing loss for a different user,and each of said users is able via a respective gateway to grant rightsto a third party to modify a subset of the data stored in that user'suser account on the server, whereby the third party becomes permitted,via remote connection, to adjust the personal settings for alleviatingthe hearing loss for that hearing aid user.
 12. The data systemaccording to claim 11, wherein data in a sub-set of the user accountstored on the server and modified by a third party having modificationrights is loaded into a hearing aid memory by using the personalcommunication device as a gateway.
 13. The data system according toclaim 11, wherein the remote server synchronizes the personal settingsfor alleviating the hearing loss stored in the hearing aid by writingthe modified personal settings into the memory of the hearing aid byusing the personal communication device as gateway.
 14. The data systemaccording to claim 13, wherein the modification of personal settings foralleviating a hearing loss includes replacing a current setting with aprevious setting.
 15. The data system according to claim 13, wherein themodification of personal settings for alleviating a hearing lossincludes managing an acclimatization strategy of an optional feature ofthe hearing aid.
 16. The data system according to claim 13, wherein themodification of personal settings for alleviating a hearing lossincludes granting access to an optional feature of the hearing aid for atrial period.